MOORIA (Thloo)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A collapse doline (an estimated 20 m wide and 25 m long if looking towards 315° or north-west) with vertical walls where a sandstone caprock has been breached underlaying limestone. ETYMOLOGY: Thloo Mooria (Synteng Khasi / Pnar) is the same as Thliew Mawria (standard Khasi) and translates as Gravel Cave, Gravel Hole or Gravel Pothole (note 1). Outsiders fabricated the strange -Krem Thliew Mawria- (standard Khasi) or -Krem Thloo Mooria- (Synteng Khasi) or Gravel Cave Hole / Gravel Hole Cave. Way back in February of the year 2000, it may have slipped from the attention of Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt and Simon J. Brooks that both -krem- (note 2) and -thliew- or -thloo- (note 3) signify the same, namely a hole or cave, when they fully completed the interesting cave name Gravel Hole Cave (Brooks & Jarratt 2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Thloo Mawriah / Krem Thloo Mooriah (fully completed) 29/2/00). SITUATION: At an unspecified location in an unidentified setting. The GPS position, which had been recrded to the entrance to this Thloo Mooria indicates a spot that lies 4.9 km as the crow flies or a bat flaps on bearing 052° (about north-east) from Thangskai (25°11'45”N: 92°22'35“E). APPROACH: To reach the cave from a river called Beo (upstream of Krem –>Puipui), cross the river and follow track for 200 m bearing to one or the other the left in an unknown direction. Then take the first small path leading off to one or the other the right in an unknown direction. Follow this path, cross what had been in Februarry 2000 another -jingpynksan- (clearing) or -ram- (jungle cleared for cultivation), and follow the path or track uphill. At the next path junction, take the right fork. Enter another second clearing, cross this clearing and where the path starts to rise, go uphill. Turn right off the main path and go through the undergrowth to meet a relatively large and comaparatively open pothole ringed with what had been in February 2000 more or less obvious tall trees (or so). CAVE DESCIPTION: A technical climb down (belay ladder or rope to tree) from the lowest side (south-west) of the pothole descends an estimated 13 m down to a sloping floor from where an estimated another 10 m or so climb down gives access to a further but again estimated 5 m climb down into what was interpreted as a suicidaly loose hole (more than 5 m deep) between boulders whilst all apparent undercuts are uninviting, if not even uncomfortably to penetrate side passages or, perhaps, abandoned coal mines, beneath the Lakadong Sandstone caprock (after Brooks & Jarratt 2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Thloo Mawriah / Krem Thloo Mooriah (fully completed) 29/2/00). CAVE LIFE: Large trees are growing in the base of the pot (Brooks & Jarratt 2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Thloo Mawriah / Krem Thloo Mooriah (fully completed) 29/2/00).rded to the entrance to this Thloo Mooria indicates a spot that lies 4.9 km as the crow flies or a bat flaps on bearing 052° (about north-east) from Thangskai (25°11'45”N: 92°22'35“E). APPROACH: To reach the cave from a river called Beo (upstream of Krem –>Puipui), cross the river and follow track for 200 m bearing to one or the other the left in an unknown direction. Then take the first small path leading off to one or the other the right in an unknown direction. Follow this path, cross what had been in Februarry 2000 another -jingpynksan- (clearing) or -ram- (jungle cleared for cultivation), and follow the path or track uphill. At the next path junction, take the right fork. Enter another second clearing, cross this clearing and where the path starts to rise, go uphill. Turn right off the main path and go through the undergrowth to meet a relatively large and comaparatively open pothole ringed with what had been in February 2000 more or less obvious tall trees (or so). CAVE DESCIPTION: A technical climb down (belay ladder or rope to tree) from the lowest side (south-west) of the pothole descends an estimated 13 m down to a sloping floor from where an estimated another 10 m or so climb down gives access to a further but again estimated 5 m climb down into what was interpreted as a suicidaly loose hole (more than 5 m deep) between boulders whilst all apparent undercuts are uninviting, if not even uncomfortably to penetrate side passages or, perhaps, abandoned coal mines, beneath the Lakadong Sandstone caprock (after Brooks & Jarratt 2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Thloo Mawriah / Krem Thloo Mooriah (fully completed) 29/2/00). CAVE LIFE: Large trees are growing in the base of the pot (Brooks & Jarratt 2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Thloo Mawriah / Krem Thloo Mooriah (fully completed) 29/2/00).